GPU 2010 iMac

[Ben Bessett]

Has anyone ever replaced a GPU on a 2010 21.5" iMac? Believe it or not there is a REMOVABLE graphics card and a customer of mine brought one in a with a dead GPU. Ordered the replacement and installed (a bit of a pain to get to!) with the supposedly good card installed, the machine chimes but all I am getting is a black screen... Wondering if there is a step I am missing (cmos battery?). I tried nvram resets and I am now thinking the replacement GPU ordered on eBay was just no good to begin with so the plan is to try another known good one. I know the install process was correct because I was able to re-install the original GPU and am getting the same behavior so the logic board is fine.

This is what's wrong...

https://i.imgur.com/3BqkK1W.jpg

Any tips on this would be appreciated! I probably should have just recommended replacing the machine but now that I have come this far, I would really like to follow through with the repair.
Thanks,
Ben

 

[NviGate Systems]

Return the GPU for a refund and tell your client there is no economical fix for these units. Most GPU that you will find will be reballed or fake crap. They may work for a week, a month or a year but they will die again.

Not worth the effort unless someone can trick the Mac into using it's Intel GPU all the time.

 

[Ben Bessett]

This was my feeling too. So... I have obviously invested to much time into the machine but I took the original failing GPU (the one from the photo above) and actually baked it (reflowed it) myself mainly for fun... and now it's working perfectly! I will have to share with the custie what you said above which is that it may last a day, week, or a year but it will likely fail again but regardless of it being a time sink, it's good experience I suppose. I did not think it would actually fix it but it did... I have so far loaded MacOS and still holding strong... I wish I didn't take on the job to begin with... but that's also good to know if something like this comes up again, I will know better how to handle it.
Thanks for your input